Short answer: Liskeard's two chippies, Ben's Plaice (4.1 on Google) and Ian's Plaice (3.9), get mixed reviews. For a sit-down Friday night, reviewers rate the fish and chips at the Market Inn in St Cleer. For the safest bet, the Coddy Shack near Looe has 4.5 from over 3,000 reviews and is reachable by branch line and a short trip.
Liskeard sits about seven miles in a straight line from the harbour at Looe, and that is the problem with writing about fish and chips here: the town's own takeaways are a mixed bag, while some of the best-reviewed fish in the area is a train ride or short drive away. This guide to the best fish and chips in Liskeard is honest about both, so you can choose between the local chippy, a Friday night in a village pub and a day trip down the valley.
Two takeaways come up on Google, and reviews for both are split.
Ben's Plaice on Barras Street has 4.1 from 103 Google reviews. Fans praise huge fish, local potatoes, homemade tartare sauce and a menu that includes scampi, burgers and loaded fries. One family with coeliac members said they used it several times in a week and found it clean and well priced. The other side: one reviewer said the churros were raw, and another reported being ill after a burger. Opening days and times are limited, so check before you go. Order fish and chips, which is what most of the praise is about.
Ian's Plaice on Higher Lux Street has 3.9 from 330 Google reviews and the widest spread of opinion of the Liskeard chippies. Some reviewers call the fish fresh and huge, the batter light and the chips real potatoes. Others say the chips were cold or poor, and one said a battered sausage was forgotten. It splits its opening into lunchtime and early evening sessions, so check the times. If you try it, eat soon after you collect.
Both are takeaways with set sessions rather than all-day service, so ring ahead if you are travelling specially.
Pub fish nights beat the takeaway for some people. The Market Inn in St Cleer (4.3 from 119 Google reviews) is the clearest example. Reviewers describe a Friday fish and chips night with a light, crisp batter, a good size of fresh fish, a choice of mushy peas, curry sauce or gravy and live music some nights, and advise booking. Check that the Friday night is still running before you drive out. It is about two miles north of Liskeard.
The Crows Nest (4.5 from 679 Google reviews), below Caradon Hill, serves haddock and chips according to a walker who came off Caradon Moor, and its burgers get most of the praise. A reviewer describes a real log fire and dogs that are properly welcome, with water and treats. Our guide to moorland pubs near Liskeard has more pubs like it.
In town, the The King Doniert is the Wetherspoon on Barras Street (4.1 from 1,660 Google reviews). Reviews are mixed on food, with slow service and cold plates reported. It is not the place to choose for fish and chips specifically.
If you want the safest bet, yes. The The Coddy Shack at St Martins, just outside Looe, has 4.5 from 3,161 Google reviews. Reviewers praise light, crisp batter, tasty fish and chips, large puddings and a big car park, and recommend booking a table. For the full Looe round-up, see our guide to the best fish and chips in Looe. Check its opening times before you go. It is about six miles in a straight line from Liskeard.
In Looe itself the choice splits between harbour and back street:
The branch line makes the trip car-free. Our Liskeard to Looe branch line guide explains the route, and where to park in Looe helps if you drive instead.
Prices change, so treat these as examples of what reviewers say they paid rather than a menu. One family of four spent just over £30 at Catch in Looe and called it expensive but worth it for the amount, and another group of five adults and a child fed themselves for about £50 there. A reviewer at Ben's Plaice in Looe said it was better value than the harbourside shops, and one at the Liskeard Ben's Plaice described the prices as well judged. Ask for the large only if you are hungry, because one Catch reviewer found the regular fish on the smaller side.
One practical point from a reviewer: eating at Ben's Plaice means you avoid the seagulls that go for chips by the harbour.
The Three Pilchards in Polperro (4.7 from 1,877 Google reviews) is a pub rather than a chippy, but a reviewer called the large fish and chips the best in a very long time, with light crisp batter. It is a longer trip, so combine it with the coast.
Reviewers mention gluten-free fish and chips at Ben's Plaice in Looe, and a coeliac family praising the Liskeard Ben's Plaice. Ask whether the fryer is shared before ordering, because policies differ from shop to shop and a reviewer's experience is not a guarantee.
Start with a pasty at one of the town bakeries (see our best pasty in Liskeard guide), then park once. The Liskeard parking guide at Liskeard Parking covers the car parks, and the Liskeard town guide and Looe town guide have the rest.
Within the town, Ben's Plaice on Barras Street has the better Google rating (4.1 from 103 reviews) but reviews are mixed. Many people head to Looe, where the Coddy Shack (4.5 from 3,161 reviews) and Ben's Plaice (4.5 from 428) are better rated.
Reviewers describe a Friday fish and chips night at the Market Inn in St Cleer, with a choice of mushy peas, curry sauce or gravy. They advise booking a table, and it is worth checking it is still running.
Reviewers mention gluten-free fish and chips at Ben's Plaice in Looe and a coeliac family happy with the Liskeard Ben's Plaice. Ask about shared fryers before ordering.
Looe has several well-reviewed options, including Catch, Kelly's and Ben's Plaice, plus the Coddy Shack just outside town. The Liskeard to Looe branch line avoids the parking.
Both Liskeard takeaways run limited sessions and days, so phone before you set out, especially at the weekend.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change, so check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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